March 12, 2007
CROSSING ACCIDENT REDUCTION ENFORCEMENT
The Midland Police Department will team up with Union Pacific Railroad to help raise awareness of train safety and reduce the number of accidents. On March 13, 2007, officers with the MPD Traffic Division will ride with Union Pacific Railroad and alert other officers in their vehicles of any motorists not obeying the signs, lights, or crossing gates. The media is invited to ride along too.
Officers will write tickets and issue citations to those disobeying the law. The program is designed to draw attention to the dangers of trying to “beat” a train. MPD officers will ride from Fairgrounds Road, beginning at 7:30 a.m., through the City and back.
Union Pacific reminds drivers that it is hard to tell how fast a train is traveling. In Texas, the main cause of railroad crossing accidents is motorists that choose to disobey warning signs.
There are 11 railroad crossings inside Midland’s city limits. All of the crossings have gates and concrete medians.
WARRANT ROUNDUP UPDATE
The City of Midland Municipal Court has completed its roundup of persons with outstanding municipal warrants. Midland Municipal Court Warrant Officers made 40 arrests between March 3rd - 10th as part of a statewide warrant roundup.
Defendants with outstanding warrants of arrest for traffic, parking, city ordinance, or state law violations were targeted by multi-jurisdictions. The participating agencies, over 150 in Texas, concentrated their efforts to clear these outstanding warrants.
Approximately 2,947 warrant reminder letters were mailed to defendants with outstanding warrants in the City of Midland, notifying them of the pending roundup. Approximately 1,300 of the letters were returned to Municipal Court with non-current addresses.
Along with those individuals who chose to appear at the Municipal Court, and the more than 100 additional arrests made by other local law enforcement, more than 800 City of Midland warrants have been cleared since the first of March.
Chief Warrant Officer, Curtis Ralston reminds those individuals on warrant they should make an appearance at the Municipal Court to avoid being arrested. The Warrant Division and local law enforcement will continue serving outstanding warrants.
The Midland Municipal Court is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays. If you wish to speak to a judge, you may appear during one of the many arraignment times:
Monday-Wednesday at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Thursdays only 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Fridays only 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
If you have any questions, you may contact Midland Municipal Court Warrant Division at 685.7308.
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PANHANDLE FIRES
It was a year ago this week, March 14, 2006, when seven City of Midland employees traveled to Canadian, Texas to assist in fighting the panhandle fires.
Four fire fighters, an emergency management coordinator, a radio tech, and a communications dispatcher made the trip along with the communications vehicle.
In January of this year, the city received reimbursement of funds in the amount of $17,386 from FEMA for expenses associated with the response. This represented 75% of the City’s expenses including personnel time, equipment use, hotels, food, etc.
The employees not only gained on-hands working experience, but also learned how people in dire straits can demonstrate a high level of hospitality and friendship.
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